


The Beginning Of

by thblackflame



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Penguins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 15:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2074116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thblackflame/pseuds/thblackflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when your friends set you up on a date with your crush?  Go with it, of course!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beginning Of

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Remembrance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remembrance/gifts).



"We should all go out this weekend, they said," Nagi muttered to himself. "It'll be a lot of fun, they said."

The blond looked around himself at the full, but friendless train station and continued to mutter to himself. He kept an eye out though, because if he saw someone he knew--specifically his asshole friends that were an hour late and nowhere in sight--he had to plaster a smile on his face. He was happy, cheerful, smiley Nagisa and he _would_ have a smile on his face no matter how late the bastards were.

As the next train swooshed and squeaked in, a familiar mop of brown hair emerged from the opening doors above shorter dark-haired heads. Nagi slapped his trademark over his lips and crinkled his eyes in his best, most cheerful smile. Because, he _would_ be cheerful. 

By the look on Mako-chan's face, though maybe his eyes were closer to narrowed and his smile was closer to a grimace. Whatever, fuck it.

"You okay, Nagisa?"

Nagi tried again. "Of course!" Mako-chan continued looking at him like he was some kind of gargoyle that was gonna eat his face off. "Where's everyone else?"

Mako-chan's expression changed to something like embarrassment and he rubbed the back of his neck before he answered. "They're, ah, not coming."

Nagi forgot to keep his smile up. "What?"

Mako-chan chuckled uncomfortably. "Well, Rei said he was going, but then Kou punched him in the arm so he said he had some velocity equations to go over. Rin said he wasn't getting involved in stupid lovey drama shit, so he walked off. Kou said she had to wash her hair, so she followed Rin. And when I went to pick up Haru, he said he had to make mackerel." He chuckled again. "He was wearing his apron over his swimsuit again, so I'm pretty sure his answer at least might have been only half bullshit."

Nagi felt his jaw drop with every excuse, and by the end of Mako-chan's explanation, he'd come to the happy, butterfly-in-stomach-feeling, realization that it was just going to be him in Mako-chan. Like a…

Mako-chan sighed. "I don't even know why they bothered to come up with excuses. If they didn't want to go they could have just said so. I told them that we should call you and reschedule, but they insisted you and I go out anyway." He shook his head. "I feel like I got set up on a date or something. But that's dumb, right?"

Nagi's heart went into overdrive at the word date. "D-date! T-that's so silly, Mako-chan! Why would they set us up on a d-date!?" He forced a laugh. "I mean, we're both guys! Hahaha!"

"Yeah. Right." The bright green of Mako-chan's eyes dimmed a little and he looked down, his smile somehow less of a smile. Nagi tilted his head.

"Mako-chan?"

The brunet shook his head and looked back up, his eyes bright once more and his smile perfectly cheerful. "So what do you want to do first?"

Nagi's stomach chose that moment to growl, and Mako-chan laughed as Nagi felt his cheeks redden.

"I guess we're gonna get food first." He leaned forward and grabbed Nagi's wrist--so close to his hand! "Come on. Let's go get a burger or something."

Nagi looked down at where Mako-chan held his wrist then looked up, a real smile on his lips now. He close his eyes and nodded. "Nn!"

Mako-chan smiled back, but sadly let go of Nagi's wrist once they started walking. Nagi sighed, but made sure he was smiling when Mako-chan looked back at him in concern. Nagi had to stay positive. Even if it wasn't a real date, he was out with Mako-chan! All alone! No one to get in the way of them laughing and joking around. No one would stand between the two of them so he wouldn't be able to "accidentally" brush the back of his hand against Mako-chan's as they walked. No one around so that if something was going to happen, it could happen.

Okay, so the likelihood of that last one was already slim to none, but it was totally none with the others around. Nagi felt warm and fluttery in his stomach and he grinned to himself as he rubbed his belly and followed Mako-chan into the restaurant.

They ordered their food and sat down when they got it. The first few minutes were taken up with tearing into their food. Nagi really was hungry and by the way Mako-chan was chowing down, so was he. They took a much more leisurely time with their fries.

"So, what do you wanna do next," Mako-chan asked.

Nagi popped a fry in his mouth while he thought. "Mmm…Hey!" Nagi grinned to himself. "How about the aquarium?"

Even if it wasn't a real date, he could at least pretend it was.

Mako-chan snorted. "Really?"

Nagi pouted. "What? You don't wanna go to the aquarium with me?"

Mako-chan raised a brow. "Well…it's not really something a couple of friend who are guys go out to do, right?"

Nagi pursed his lips and thought quickly. "Um…well, it's not really something we can ever do when Haru-chan's around 'cause he'd try to jump in the water, right?" Nagi grinned again, warming up to his totally made up reasoning. Not that Haru-chan wouldn't totally try to do that. "And it's totally uncool to go to the aquarium by yourself, so I never really get to go. And I wanna see the penguins!"

"I don't think they have penguins at the aquarium, Nagisa."

"Do you know that for sure?" Nagi gave him a mock glare. "Do you _really_ know for sure, Mako-chan? When was the last time _you_ were at the aquarium?"

Mako-chan was quite for a minute as he thought. "Well…no I don't. And you're right. I haven't been in a long time." Mako-chan smiled. "Alright. Let's go to the aquarium!"

Nagi popped his last fry into his mouth and threw his arms up in a victor pose. "Yes!"

As they left the restaurant and made their way to their next destination, Nagi couldn't believe how hard his heart was pounding. He was totally on a date with Mako-chan. He couldn't remember how many times he had fantasized about this. He'd liked Mako-chan for a long time, but there was never really any chance to spend time with him, alone. He couldn't just go up to Mako-chan and just ask him out, even if he had the guts to do it. The others were always around.

Nagi was distracted from his thoughts by a flash of red hair and he turned quickly to try and catch it. He searched for a moment among the crowd as they neared the aquarium, but there were just too many people. He pinched his lips and shook his head. He must be seeing things.

They entered the building and paid for their tickets in. Actually, Mako-chan paid 'cause Nagi only brought enough for food and a movie, and the tickets were a little more than what he had. Nagi felt a little bad, but at the same time, this was becoming more and more like a date and he was a little happy. He was gonna pay Mako-chan back though.

As they walked in, Nagi was struck by all the blue light. It was beautiful! It was just like being in the water without being wet! Of course, being in the water and wet was great, but it was an interesting change. And it was such a beautiful color.

Nagi made a bee-line for the first viewing window. There were so many fantastic colors all swimming around, darting here and there. "Mako-chan! Mako-chan! Look, how pretty!"

Mako-chan moved in next to Nagi and stood very close. Nagi's heart started a new staccato against his rib-cage. The colors blurred for a minute, turning into splashes of orange and greens and yellows instead of individual fish while Nagi told his heart to stop overacting to the fact that there were so many people looking with them that Mako-chan had to practically stand on top of him to see what Nagi was looking at.

"Hey, look at the little clownfish, Nagisa," Mako-chan said. He'd bent down a little, his head close to Nagi's and his breath blew past the blond's ear as he spoke. 

Nagi's eyes unfocused for a minute and he really concentrated on not melting into the floor. "Where?"

Mako-chan reached across Nagi a little and pointed down at pretty orange sea anemone. At first he didn't see anything, and he thought his eyes were still unfocused, but as he stared, he realized he saw an eye, then a line of white. The clownfish had been so well hidden that Nagi hadn't seen it at first in his distracted state.

He giggled. "It looks just like Nemo!"

Mako-chan stood back up. "All clownfish look like that, Nagisa."

Nagi turned and pouted up at Mako-chan. "It looks like Nemo."

Mako-chan pinched his lips together and nodded. "Yes, Nagisa, you're right. Looks just like Nemo."

Nagi grinned and looked back at the fish as it darted among the waving tubes of the anemone. He frowned. "Well, he doesn't have to messed up fin, so maybe he looks more like Marlin."

Mako-chan laughed. "Whatever you say, Nagisa. Come on, let's go look at the sharks."

The pair headed over to the shark reef and watched at the grey animals glided through the water with a dangerous grace. One of them opened its mouth as he went by the glass and Nagi clapped his hands together. "Look! It's Rin-chan!"

Mako-chan snorted and hid his giggles behind his hand. "Oh of these days, he's really gonna bite someone and I'm just gonna think of coming here today and crack up!"

Nagi giggled along with Mako-chan and they moved on. They moved through the different rooms stopping at each window and admiring the fish. They made oohing and aahing noises as they watched the grace with which the fish swam and talked about how great it would be to be able to move like them.

Nagi happened to catch a sign as they were heading to another window and gasped, hopping a little from one foot to the other. "Mako-chan! Penguins! I told you they had penguins!"

Nagi grabbed a laughing Mako-chan's wrist and dragged him toward the exhibit. He swallowed when his fingers brushed against Mako-chan's palm, but he couldn't make himself let go. The palm of Mako-chan's hand was warm and soft and he tried to inconspicuously rub his fingers against the smooth skin.

He only let go once he saw an actual penguin and then his mind completely focused on the adorable little birds. There was a tour group moving on to the next exhibit as Nagi raced up to the glass and pressed his face against it, leaving them curiously alone in the room for the moment.

Nagi's breath fogged up the glass a little as his eyes swivel back and forth to watch this penguin swim so flawlessly through the water and that penguin hop around and tumble down into the water. He swiped his sleeve over the fog and repeated the process, giggling as he watched them.

"Mako-chan! Look! Look!" Nagi poked at the glass, pointing out the penguin that kept tumbling into the water. "Look! He keeps hopping around and falling in the water! I'm gonna name him Bob! And the one over there that's swimming, he's George. And that one back there is a girl, so I'm gonna name her Bernadette!"

Nagi froze as arms slid around his waist and hugged him. He turned his head a little and looked back at Mako-chan who was smiling so sweetly at him, his eyes like sparkly emeralds. "M-Mako-chan?"

Mako-chan just turned look at the penguins. 

"W-what are you doing?" Nagi tried to keep his voice light, but his heart was trying to beat itself out of his chest and his lungs were trying to hyperventilate. And it just felt so wonderful to be wrapped up in Mako-chan's arms.

Mako-chan gave him a little squeeze before letting him go, and Nagi tried really hard not to pout. Maybe, the hug meant something? God, he hoped so.

"Sorry, Nagisa. You were just being so adorable, I couldn't help myself. You're like a little kid." He chuckled, but Nagi didn't have the guts to look at him to see if he was joking or not. "You just reminded me so much of my siblings."

Nagi's shoulders slumped and his face fell. Not even the cute antics of the penguins could make the hard lump in his throat go away. That was…that just sucked. He reminded Mako-chan of his brother and sister? Man, that freaking sucked. There was no hope.

The blond sighed and turned away from Bob, and George and Bernadette and headed out of the exhibit.

"Nagisa?"

"I'm kinda done with the aquarium," he said quietly, trying and failing miserably to make his voice cheerful. "Let's go somewhere else."

The existed the aquarium in silence and were halfway out into the promenade before Mako-chan stopped Nagi with a hand on his elbow. Nagi told his heart to knock off because it clearly didn't mean anything. His heart disagreed with him and pounded harder.

"Hey, Nagisa." He turned Nagi around so he could look at him. "You okay? Are you feeling sick?"

Nagi snorted. Something like that. "Nah. It was just getting boring. Why don't we do something else. Let's go see a movie or something." Then Nagi could be depressed and no one would notice.

Mako-chan didn't look impressed but he shrugged and nodded. "Okay. Let's head over to the theater."

As they made their way to the movies, Nagi tried really, really hard to bring his spirits back up. He was starting to think this had been a bad idea. Before this almost date, he'd had hope that Mako-chan might come to like him, but after that siblings comment, it was clear that Mako-chan felt a brotherly love toward Nagi and nothing more. 

Nagi sighed and straightened up a little. Well, a brotherly love was better than no love, so maybe Nagi could be content with this. He really doubted it, but he would try because regardless of how Mako-chan felt about him, Nagi didn't want to lose him as a friend. As long as he could be close to Mako-chan, he could find a way to be happy with that.

Nagi found his thoughts distracted again with another flash of red. There weren't as many people around so he followed the color from the corner of his eyes until is disappeared behind a wall. He narrowed his eyes at the corner, waiting to see if someone would come out from behind it, but after a moment shook his head and turned away.

"Nagisa?" Mako-chan asked, turning to Nagi, concern darkening those really gorgeous green eyes. "What is it?"

_Stop noticing his pretty eyes, Nagi. He's not into you. And stop staring at his lips! You do not care what they would feel like on yours anymore!_

Right, and he didn't want to eat ice cream ever again, either.

"Nothing," he said and started walking again. "Just thought I saw something."

They headed into the theater, Nagi insisting on paying for himself since that's what he'd brought his money for, and they picked a movie that looked interesting from its previews. The seats were really narrow when they got in and sat down and Mako-chan ended up taking up the entire arm of the chair when they were settled. 

Mako-chan's muscular arm was pressed flush against Nagi's arm and all the blond wanted to do was to lean right back into it. But he kept his body straight and stiff, his arms resting straight out on his legs. Mako-chan's hand was dangling off the end of the chair arm and Nagi had to remind himself to continue breathing each time Mako-chan's fingers brushed the back of his right hand. He thought about moving it, but Nagi liked it too much, so he just concentrated on his breathing.

He couldn't really remember what the movie was about, or the plot, or even what the movie was called. His entire focus was on Mako-chan's fingers brushing the back of his hand. About halfway through the movie --at least he thought it was half way. It could have been five minutes into the film for all he knew--Mako-chan leaned over and whispered in Nagi's ear.

"This movie is a little boring. Wanna just go?"

Nagi shivered in delight as Mako-chan's breath move over his ear again and his mind was flooded with images of Mako-chan nuzzling his neck, or licking at the curve of his ear, or nibbling his earlobe, and Mako-chan had to call his name again to bring him back to reality.

"What?" he said a little too loudly and the other movie watchers shushed him. "Sorry, what?" he asked again, this time more quietly, turning his head so that he was almost cheek to cheek with Mako-chan. His breath was coming in little pants now.

"I said, the movie's boring. Do you wanna go?"

Nagi couldn't get the breath to speak so he just nodded, and the two of them got up and out of the way as quickly as possible before heading out of the theater. They were just coming out of the doors when Nagi's ears perked up at familiar voices off to the side of the building.

Four people in sunglasses and trench coats were all peering through the glass of a door a few feet down from where he and Mako-chan were exiting.

"Do you see them?"

"When does the movie end?"

"Do you think they're making out, yet?"

"Uh, guys?"

Mako-chan and Nagi stared at the four as Kou and Rei turned in unison to look back at the pair. Haru was already looking at them since he'd been the one to warn the other two, and Rin was leaning up against a wall like he was holding it up and shaking his head.

The pair walked up to the others and continued to stare. "What are you guys doing?"

"Oh, uh…" Kou looked at the other three but they were no help. "Well, you know all those other plans we had fell through and we thought we'd come find you guys and we could all hang out! Eheh!"

"In sunglasses and trench coats. Like you're _not_ stalkers?" Mako-chan clearly wasn't fooled.

Kou laughed feebly. "S-stalkers? What are you talking about? We were just afraid it was going to rain and dressed appropriately. And it's sunny right now, so we needed the sunglasses."

"So those _were_ bullshit excuses," Mako-chan said, not even bothering to poke holes at Kou's horrible attempt to lie. "And this really was a set up for a date?"

Nagi's heart stopped. "W-what?"

Kou, Rei and Haru all exchanged glances and Rin shook his head again. "Well, I guess we have to admit it," Kou said quietly. "I mean, we knew that Hazuki-san really likes you, Tachibana-san. So we thought we'd help him out…"

Nagi felt tears burn in his eyes, and his throat ached with the effort to hold them back. He felt Mako-chan's eyes on him, but he couldn't turn to look at him. He stared at the assholes who were supposed to be his friends and not blurt out his long-time crush on Mako-chan out in the open like that. He choked back a sob, turned and fled.

"Nagisa!"

Nagi shook his head. "No, no, no…" He didn't really see where he was going and ended up tripping on an uneven slat of concrete. Now the tears really came. He pushed himself up, rubbed his eyes and took off again.

"Nagisa! Come back!"

Nagi just kept running.

It wasn't too long before Nagi couldn't run anymore and he started looking for a place to rest. He hadn't noticed that the sky had become overcast during his flight from the movie theater and just as he thought he spotted a likely covered bus stop bench he could sit down on and catch his breath, the sky opened up and a micro-burst poured over his head. Perfect. Like this day could get any worse.

Nagi didn't even bother to run to the bench. He was already soaked so he just meandered over and plopped down, his toes squelching in his shoes. Which were ruined now. So it could get worse. Nagi felt tears threaten again, and he took a shuttering breath to hold them back. He was already wet, he didn't need tears, too. Plus his cheek was starting to throb. Must have hit it when he fell.

"Fuck."

"Nagisa?"

Nagi squawked and nearly tumbled over but he managed to catch himself with a hand on the edge of the stone slab. When he looked up, Mako-chan was just stepping into the little alcove of the bus stop. His brown hair was plastered to his face and his tee-shirt and jeans clung to him like a second skin. Nagi felt his stomach flip. God, Mako-chan was hot.

Then Nagi remembered that Mako-chan now knew that Nagi probably thought he was hot. His cheeks flushed and he averted his eyes. "M-Mako-chan. What are you doing here?"

"Well, chasing you down, obviously. " He plopped down on the bench next to Nagi. "Damn, you're fast."

Nagi didn't answer.

"Look, Nagisa. I wanted to talk to you."

Nagi shut his eyes tightly and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mako-chan. I don't really wanna talk. Those guys were really mean to say something like that, and I hope you don't take them seriously. I don't even know why they said it."

There. That should make things clear. Well, at least, so that Mako-chan wouldn't have to reject him. But the tears came all at once and he couldn't stop them. He didn't want to lie about his feelings to Mako-chan. He still wanted to be friends though and he needed to make himself be okay with that. He had to be okay with it, so he dashed his tears away with a hand.

"Nagisa, don't cry." Mako-chan's wrapped an arm around Nagi's shoulder and pulled up against his side. "Come on. Where's that signature smile of yours?"

Nagi just shook his head.

Mako-chan shook his shoulder a little. "Come on. Look at me." He tilted his head down, trying to get a better look at Nagi's face. "Please?"

Nagi took a deep breath and sighed, forcing himself to look up and meet Mako-chan's eyes. He tried to smile, but there was a strange expression on Mako-chan's face and Nagi couldn't figure out how to interpret it. Mako-chan's eyes shifted between both of Nagi's before they focused on his left cheek.

"Hey, you got a bruise here." Mako-chan's hand came up and rested against to side of Nagi's face, his thumb brushing very gently against his cheek bone. "Did you do this when you fell?"

Nagi found it hard to breath. Mako-chan had caught his eyes again and Nagi found he couldn't look away. "I guess."

Mako-chan was quite, but his thumb continued to move over his cheek and he still hadn't let go of Nagi. He held his eyes for so long that Nagi realized he hadn't blinked in a while so he did so now. When he opened his eyes again, Mako-chan's eyes were on his lips. Without a word, Mako-chan leaned down, tilted his head a little and pressed his lips lightly against Nagi's.

Nagi's eyes went wide at the unexpected movement and his heart started a double beat. Mako-chan pulled away only a moment later, but he didn't go far. 

"You're supposed to close your eyes when someone kisses you, Nagisa."

"Oh," was all he could think to say, and as Mako-chan leaned in again, Nagi's eyes shut and he returned to pressure of Mako-chan's lips. It was a soft, gentle kiss. Only a light pressure at first, but then Mako-chan softened his jaw and his lips parted just a little before closing again against Nagi's lips.

Nagi had never kissed anyone before, so he didn't know how to do it consciously, but his mind faded a little into the back of his head and he just let himself feel the softness of Mako-chan's lips. Instinct took over and his lips started to mirror Mako-chan's movements.

The kiss was soft and unhurried, just the brushing of sensitive skin together and once, without meaning to, the tips of their tongue touched.

Nagi let out a little, "Unf!" against Mako-chan's lips which was returned with a soft moan from Mako-chan. He let go of Nagi's shoulders and brought that hand up to cup the other side of Nagi's face. Mako-chan deepened the kiss, but it was no less slow and languid. He slid his tongue just past Nagi's teeth and brushed his tongue against the other.

Nagi felt like he was going to become a puddle of goo at any moment and his hands clung to Mako-chan's shirt. All too soon, Mako-chan broke the kiss and rested his forehead against Nagi's.

"I really like you, Nagisa."

Nagi's eyes had been half-lidded but now they shot opened. "Eh?"

Mako-chan smirked. "I said I really like you."

Nagi pulled away. "I heard that, but the words are not making sense in my head."

Mako-chan smiled, but his brows were creased in confusion. "Which words aren't making sense?"

"Any of them. You don't like me. Not like that, at least."

Now the eyebrows shot up, getting lost in Mako-chan's slowly drying hair. "I'm pretty sure I do like you like that. I mean, I just kissed you."

"You did," Nagi replied, nodding. 

"And you kissed me back, so clearly you like me."

Nagi nodded again. "I did. I mean, I do. I mean…but…but you don't like me like that!"

Mako-chan laughed and shook his head. "Then what do you make of all the hints I was giving you all day?"

"What hints?"

"When I took your hand today on the way to eat, or the way I kept leaning into you at the theater, or the way my fingers were brushing against your hand." He shook his head in disbelief. 

"You didn't hold my hand, you held my wrist. Not the same thing."

"Okay, granted." Mako-chan nodded. "But I thought the hug was a pretty glaring clue."

"You said I reminded you of your siblings!"

Mako-chan glance to the side. "Okay, I panicked on that one. But you got all stiff and sounded like you thought I was a moron for hugging you!"

"It came out of nowhere! How was I supposed to know?"

Mako-chan was quite again as he looked back at Nagi. He looked up at Nagi's hair and moved a hand up to push it out of his face. "Well, do you know now?"

Nagi bit his lower lip. "I-I think so."

Mako-chan smirked. "Do you need another demonstration?"

Nagi's lips tugged into a slow smile. "Yeah, I think I do. Just to make sure."

Mako-chan chuckled and leaned close again, brushing his lips lightly against Nagi's. "Now?"

"No, I think I missed it. Try again?"

Mako-chan's mouth was on his again, this time with more pressure. Both hands came up and rested on either side of Nagi's face and he tilted his just a little, allowing more access and he slipped his tongue past Nagi's parted lips. Mako-chan's tongue smoothed against Nagi's and Nagi sucked gently on it. Mako-chan moaned softly again as he started a thorough exploration of Nagi's mouth.

Both of them were panting when Mako-chan broke the kiss a second time. "How about now?"

Nagi opened his eyes a little, his brain a little fuzzy. "Oh. I forgot I was supposed to be looking for something. One more time?"

Mako-chan laughed and pressed his lips against Nagi's in a quick little peck before he stood up, pulled Nagi with him by the hand. "How about this. Come home with me and we'll hang out in my room. Since everyone's gone for the day, I'll give a more…intimate demonstration. Then you decide if I like you or not."

Nagi found it hard to breathe and his stomach flipped at the implications of Mako-chan's words. Was he even ready for something like that? What did Mako-chan even have in mind? Nagi's mind raced and he searched Mako-chan's eyes for some meaning. There was something there, in those pretty green eyes. The same thing he saw at the aquarium. Could it be lo--

Nagi stopped himself right there. There was definitely something in Mako-chan's eyes and between the two of them, but they'd just confessed. Well, Mako-chan had. He should do something about that.

Nagi smiled and laced his fingers with Mako-chan's. "I really like you, too, Mako-chan."

Mako-chan's smile was so bright and so happy. He wrapped his arms tightly around Nagi and kissed him so completely that Nagi's head spun. As they parted and headed down the road toward Mako-chan's house Nagi thought, maybe it was love. Or at least, the beginning of it.


End file.
